Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Priory School
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“ExcusemeifIalludetothatwhichispainfultoyou,butIhavenoalternative.DoyouthinkthattheDuchesshadanythingtodowiththematter?”
Thegreatministershowedperceptiblehesitation.
“Idonotthinkso,”hesaid,atlast.
“Theothermostobviousexplanationisthatthechildhasbeenkidnappedforthepurposeoflevyingransom.Youhavenothadanydemandofthesort?”
“No,sir.”
“Onemorequestion,yourGrace.Iunderstandthatyouwrotetoyoursonuponthedaywhenthisincidentoccurred.”
“No,Iwroteuponthedaybefore.”
“Exactly.Buthereceiveditonthatday?”
“Yes.”
“Wasthereanythinginyourletterwhichmighthaveunbalancedhimorinducedhimtotakesuchastep?”
“No,sir,certainlynot.”
“Didyoupostthatletteryourself?”
Thenobleman’sreplywasinterruptedbyhissecretary,whobrokeinwithsomeheat.
“HisGraceisnotinthehabitofpostinglettershimself,”saidhe.“Thisletterwaslaidwithothersuponthestudytable,andImyselfputtheminthepost-bag.”
“Youaresurethisonewasamongthem?”
“Yes,Iobservedit.”
“HowmanylettersdidyourGracewritethatday?”
“Twentyorthirty.Ihavealargecorrespondence.Butsurelythisissomewhatirrelevant?”
“Notentirely,”saidHolmes.
“Formyownpart,”theDukecontinued,“IhaveadvisedthepolicetoturntheirattentiontothesouthofFrance.
